Our Final Goodbye
by shep-shep
Summary: And as we turned towards our cars we knew we had just said Our Final Goodbye.


Author's Note: I DO NOT own CBS, CSI or any of its affiliates. I wish I did though. Hope you enjoy the story. It's a tear jerker!

As I slowly walked towards the podium, tears began to well in my eyes.

I knew that soon it was my time to say goodbye.

I knew I would cry.

The love of my life was leaving my world, without me.

Why did god have to do this?

Why did he take her?

I swore to myself that if we lived for a hundred years I would want to live a day less just so I couldn't be in this world without her. But time have changed. God took her away from me.

I was almost there. I stood at the podium and faced the audience. So many sad faces, crying eyes, From those who loved and knew her.

After a few steady breaths, I began my eulogy.

"The love of my life has passed away and I am here to thankyou all for coming to remember her and preserve her memory.

Thankyou God for creating her and leading her to me. I only wish you could've let her stay on earth in my world for longer.

Unfortunately she lost her life to breast cancer.

Slowly as she lost her life, she never lost her spirit.

Every 2 minutes someone in the USA is diagnosed with breast cancer and over two million three thousand four hundred billion minutes ago, she was diagnosed.

Hopefully her spirit will be kept alive today through the people she spent her last few hours with.

I want everyone to remember the spirit that she bought to the cases that affected her most. She never wanted to give up and she always showed compassion to the women, men and children in whom she helped to bring peace of mind to their family members and loved ones.

Her spirit was so strong and everyone could see it.

She'd light up a room with a smile.

Her seriousness at work could be easily pushed over with a joke.

She was such a brilliant mother to our children and I know that they will miss her the most. But she'll be watching from heaven and you can still talk to her.

Today we say goodbye not only to the love of my life, but to a friend, a mother, a wife, a daughter, a colleague and my best friend.

Goodbye Sara Stokes. You'll be missed by everyone. But most of all your children. No one could miss you more than your children. We love you."

I was numb. I felt numb. I had finally said my goodbyes. I painfully walked back to my seat between our two children. 15 year old Emily and James Stokes. Our children. Our beautiful children. Emily looked so much like her mother. Her soft brown hair with the same smile. The same goddamn beautiful smile with the toothy gap between the two front teeth. She's her mothers clone. Everything about Emily is so much like her mother. Emily and James both have their mother's infamous glare.

As I got closer to my seat Emily and James ran over to give me a hug and I embraced them in my arms. I could feel their tears through my shirt and I comforted them

"Its alright. I promise you everything will be alright. You're mother will always be apart of you. And I will never let you forget your mother. Ill remind you everyday of how wonderful she was."

I comforted them through the tears and whilst her casket was being carried out of the church and to her gravesite.

As the casket passed where we sat we followed in the precession. Only close family and friends were allowed at the burial, that's the way we decided it to be. Only me, Emily, James, Catherine, Warrick, Greg, Grissom and Lindsey. Those who were the closest. And I had to struggle with her to let our children see her casket buried.

When we got to her burial site we all stood there. Ready for the final goodbye.

As they lowered the casket into the ground we all stood forward. White Roses in hand. I decided to have white roses as they were her favourite.

Lindsey and Catherine stood forward first to throw their roses onto the casket. Catherine burst into tears at that point. I knew how close they had become once Sara had become a mother.

Next was Grissom, I was surprised that he actually dragged himself away from work for the ceremony as he had been recently promoted, but I knew his bond with Sara was like that that a father shared with his daughter.

Greg and Warrick were next. They were like brothers to Sara. Always out there to protect her. Especially when we had first started dating and then there was the time before we got married and the time she was pregnant with the twins. But they had always cared for Sara like that.

The twins were next and I knew it would be hard as they had to say goodbye to the one who had helped raise them. They had confided in her, loved her and I swear to god, never forget her.

Then, it was my turn. I slowly place the final rose on top of her casket and said my final goodbye.

"Sara, you know I've never been good at goodbyes, but I will always miss you. More and more everyday. You and I both know that. You're the only girl for me, the love of my life. I love you"

Suddenly dirt began to fill the grave as everyone had said their goodbyes. But no one was ready to leave just yet. We watched as the last amounts of dirt had been placed on the grave and we all placed huge bouquets of flowers on top of the grave. We all stood there as the sun slowly set behind the graveyard as we read the grave stone.

Sara Stokes

16th September 1965

8th August 2004

Loving Wife of Nicholas Stokes.

Loving Mother of Emily & James Stokes.

Loving member of the CSI Graveyard Shift, Las Vegas.

We all slowly started to leave; we were all staying at our place to go through Sara's things. We all wanted a little bit of Sara to remember her by. But I already had the biggest piece. I had Emily & James.

And as we turned towards our cars we knew we had just said Our Final Goodbye.


End file.
